A party bus - or the sound of silence. 

The Horizons Regional Council, which covers an area including Whanganui and Palmerston North, is seeking feedback on whether bus users prefer to ride with background music.

Its released a three-question survey asking what genres, playlists or radio stations should be played.

Transport Services Manager Mark Read told Jack Tame after talking to bus users, staff decided there needed to be an informed approach.

He says a lot of Palmerston North buses are now electric, and people have said they're like a silent elevator.

LISTEN ABOVE

A party bus - or the sound of silence.  
The Horizons Regional Council, which covers an area including Whanganui and Palmerston North, is seeking feedback on whether bus users prefer to ride with background music. 
Its released a three-question survey asking what genres, playlists or radio stations should be played. 
Transport Services Manager Mark Read told Jack Tame after talking to bus users, staff decided there needed to be an informed approach. 
He says a lot of Palmerston North buses are now electric, and people have said they're like a silent elevator. 
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Mark Read: Horizons Regional Council spokesperson says an informed approach is needed to decide if they should play music on buses

Early childhood education providers are hopeful ending pay parity for relievers will allow more permanent roles.

From October, only permanent part-time or full-time certified teachers will be paid according to the pay parity policy.

The Early Childhood Council says 74 percent of its members support the exclusion.

Chief executive Simon Laube approves of removing this educational 'red tape'. 

"You just create an inducement for them to leave teaching and become relievers if you do - so there's some real common sense today."

LISTEN ABOVE

Early childhood education providers are hopeful ending pay parity for relievers will allow more permanent roles.
From October, only permanent part-time or full-time certified teachers will be paid according to the pay parity policy.
The Early Childhood Council says 74 percent of its members support the exclusion.
Chief executive Simon Laube approves of removing this educational 'red tape'. 
"You just create an inducement for them to leave teaching and become relievers if you do - so there's some real common sense today."
LISTEN ABOVE

Simon Laube: Early Childhood Council CEO supports ending pay parity for relievers

There's new insights into New Zealand's ancient fauna from a 20-year dig.

An international team of palaeontologists researching the St Bathans fossil site in Central Otago have concluded kakapo, small wrens, bats and freshwater limpets arrived well before other well known species - like kiwi and moa.

Canterbury Museum Senior Natural History Curator Paul Scofield says they also uncovered signs of other surprising animals living here.

"We had two species of crocodile - and we believe that they most likely became extinct at the beginning of the ice age about two or three years ago."

LISTEN ABOVE

There's new insights into New Zealand's ancient fauna from a 20-year dig.
An international team of palaeontologists researching the St Bathans fossil site in Central Otago have concluded kakapo, small wrens, bats and freshwater limpets arrived well before other well known species - like kiwi and moa.
Canterbury Museum Senior Natural History Curator Paul Scofield says they also uncovered signs of other surprising animals living here.
"We had two species of crocodile - and we believe that they most likely became extinct at the beginning of the ice age about two or three years ago."
LISTEN ABOVE

Paul Scofield: Canterbury Museum Senior Natural History Curator on the shocking insights about New Zealand's native fauna

There's a very big call on the supermarkets today - the Grocery Commissioner has accused them of ripping us off.

Now, a lot of people will probably agree with that and think - what of it?

But there's a difference between you or I feeling ripped off when you’re standing in front of the olive oil looking at a price of $30 and someone like the Grocery Commissioner saying it out loud on the radio.

It's a very big call - and for someone like him to do that, he's got to have the proof. And he reckons he does.

It's been two years since the last Government starting cracking down on supermarkets, but instead of things getting better, they're getting worse.

The margins that supermarkets are making off of us are going up, they're not paying their suppliers a hell of a lot more, but they're charging you and I a hell of a lot more. That's the opposite of what's supposed to happen.

Which is to say - that crackdown didn't work.

And that is no surprise to anyone with half a brain who was watching what the last Government did. The minister was David Clark - yes, the mountain-biker himself - and what he did to fix the grocery system was to set up the Grocery Commissioner, bring in a mandatory code of conduct, put in compulsory unit pricing and forced more transparent loyalty schemes.

Who thought that was going to make a difference? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that wasn't going to change anything. We said on this very show that that ain't gonna change nothing. And here we are - it didn't work.

Now I'm not pessimistic about this. Because out of all the things that David the bike rider did that might make a difference - he did set up the Grocery Commissioner.

And there is nothing like personal ambition and reputation to motivate someone.

And I get the feeling Pierre van Heerden might realise he needs to get this right for his own sake and his own reputation.

So I suspect that what comes next might be a bit more promising. And I'm taking heart from the strong language he’s used today.

But as always... time will tell.

LISTEN ABOVE

There's a very big call on the supermarkets today - the Grocery Commissioner has accused them of ripping us off.
Now, a lot of people will probably agree with that and think - what of it?
But there's a difference between you or I feeling ripped off when you’re standing in front of the olive oil looking at a price of $30 and someone like the Grocery Commissioner saying it out loud on the radio.
It's a very big call - and for someone like him to do that, he's got to have the proof. And he reckons he does.
It's been two years since the last Government starting cracking down on supermarkets, but instead of things getting better, they're getting worse.
The margins that supermarkets are making off of us are going up, they're not paying their suppliers a hell of a lot more, but they're charging you and I a hell of a lot more. That's the opposite of what's supposed to happen.
Which is to say - that crackdown didn't work.
And that is no surprise to anyone with half a brain who was watching what the last Government did. The minister was David Clark - yes, the mountain-biker himself - and what he did to fix the grocery system was to set up the Grocery Commissioner, bring in a mandatory code of conduct, put in compulsory unit pricing and forced more transparent loyalty schemes.
Who thought that was going to make a difference? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you that wasn't going to change anything. We said on this very show that that ain't gonna change nothing. And here we are - it didn't work.
Now I'm not pessimistic about this. Because out of all the things that David the bike rider did that might make a difference - he did set up the Grocery Commissioner.
And there is nothing like personal ambition and reputation to motivate someone.
And I get the feeling Pierre van Heerden might realise he needs to get this right for his own sake and his own reputation.
So I suspect that what comes next might be a bit more promising. And I'm taking heart from the strong language he’s used today.
But as always... time will tell.
LISTEN ABOVE

Mark Read: Horizons Regional Council spokesperson says an informed approach is needed to decide if they should play music on buses

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